Of all the known reefs and reef groups in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (the Marine Park), only half are officially named. The vast majority of the existing reef names are of European origin as they were originally applied by European expeditionary forces. Captain James Cook was the first of many British Mariners who sailed along the east coast of what later became Australia, applying names to many of the geographic features they traversed or encountered.

Existing Indigenous reef names

Currently only two recorded marine features in the Marine Park have names of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin. “Bandjin Reefs” is a group of eight reefs situated off Cardwell. This group of reefs was named to acknowledge the strong connections that the Traditional Owners of that region have with the Hinchinbrook area. Kupuntutu Passage in the far northern section of the Marine Park is another marine feature for which an Indigenous name was given back in 1999.

Another use of Aboriginal language names in Great Barrier Reef Marine Park management was illustrated by the Gumoo Woojabuddee Section. This additional section of the Marine Park was declared in 1998. It included the waters of Freshwater Bay and the Byfield coast from Delcomyn Island to just south of Corio Bay on the central Queensland coast. This section covers part of the traditional sea country of the Dharumbal Aboriginal people. The name is derived from the Dharumbal Aboriginal language and means 'Bigfulla Water'.

Formal recognition of traditional reef and marine feature names is a continuing goal of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and many Traditional Owner groups. This process is important in recognising and acknowledging the cultural connections many Traditional Owners have with the sea.

Indigenous naming of reefs and marine features

The GBRMPA currently sits as a member of the Committee for Geographical Names in Australasia (CGNA), a coordinating body for the various State and Commonwealth naming authorities. The GBRMPA is one of three recognised partners with equal status in reef naming matters. The traditional reef/marine feature naming strategy developed by the GBRMPA is a culturally appropriate strategy for the application of Indigenous reef names to unnamed and presently named reefs and marine features within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Indigenous naming of islands

While the GBRMPA is involved in the naming of reefs and features below low water in the Marine Park, the State of Queensland controls the naming of islands and features above the low water mark as set out in the Queensland Place Names Act 1994. The GBRMPA works closely with the State Government and Traditional Owners to facilitate the recognition of Indigenous place names for islands under State legislation. To date, a number of these Indigenous names have been formally recognised as alternate names for places that have existing names. For example rocks and islands around the Keppel and Palm Islands regions now have alternate Indigenous names as well as their European names.

The map of the Keppel region shows the  European names and the alternative Indigenous place names as used by the Indigenous Traditional Owners of the area, the Woppaburra people. This area also coincides with the sea country that is managed under the Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreement (TUMRA) of the Woppaburra Traditional Owner group. The GBRMPA collaborates with the State government to include Indigenous island names and highlight TUMRA regions on boat ramp signs along the coast, simultaneously recognising and promoting traditional names and ownership to the wider public.

Traditional place names recognised on the Dharumbal/Woppaburra TUMRA boat ramp sign, Keppel Islands region

View map of Dharumbal/Woppaburra TUMRA area [ Adobe Acrobat 975KB]

While some Indigenous place names are not yet recorded under State legislation, the GBRMPA may still includes these as alternate names in interpretive and educational products such as maps and boat ramp signs. Indigenous names within the Girringun sea country of the Hinchinbrook region are an example of this.

Process for Indigenous naming of reefs and marine features

Agreement on allocation of an Indigenous place name to a reef depends on extensive collaboration between the GBRMPA and the community, Traditional Owners, State and Federal Governments. Traditional Owners must provide the research (written or oral history from elders) to show their connections to that sea country, reef and the desired Indigenous reef name. Linguists may need to be consulted to ensure appropriate spelling of the name. All applications undertake public consultation for a 3 month period.

Contact details

Traditional Owners interested in nominating Indigenous names for reefs within their sea country in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park should contact: The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) Spatial Data Centre through the Public Information Unit on Freecall 1800 802 251.

Related links

For more information on the process for the nomination and application of traditional Indigenous place names please check the following websites:

• Committee for Geographical Names in Australasia
  
• State of Queensland’s Place Names Act 1994 - for islands and features above the low water mark
• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority - for undersea geographic features in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park